How Can I Fix the Front Air Dam?

[15Pony]

I hit something on the highway in the dark and it ripped the rubber air dam off from every attach point except the two corners. From what I can tell it is all one part with the big plastic shield as seen in this pic. I was able to slip it back into the little groves but the rubber piece looks like it has torn holes in it, I'm trying to figure out how they attached it to the plastic part. I don't think its a screw, it looks like some form of glue...spot-glued? You can almost make out the spots in the pic. That might explain why its all one piece as the rubber part wasn't meant to be taken off.

To buy the whole piece is over $200! Any idea how can I re-attach the rubber part? Maybe a thumbtack, but how would I make that go into the plastic. I don't know what would work here.

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[vogtaction]

i would just take the rubber part completely off, I've thought about taking mine off, i think it looks ugly to be honest.

 

[15Pony]

I had put it back in the clips in the groove and drove home, but the force of the air tore it out again. This time it came completely off. The front kind of looks naked underneath. What exactly is the purpose of the rubber piece?

 

[IvanCRF]

What exactly is the purpose of the rubber piece?

The purpose is to reduce aerodynamic drag.

 

[ETCH]

my question is how often are you looking underneath? if you are not racing, I really don't see how much of a difference it would make... get rid of it

just my .02 cents

 

[15Pony]

The purpose is to reduce aerodynamic drag.

So would not having it impact fuel economy?

 

[Ultrakla$$ic]

 

[15Pony]

According to my math, not the car's computer, during my last gas fill-up period I only did 20.5 mpg. I was consistently getting 23-24 and change in my normal routine (mostly going to work which involves around 30-40 miles a day on the highway). I can't think of anything different that I did during that period. The rubber piece came off during that period....

 

[15Pony]

Ok, I need some help with this. I ordered the part online but I checked the number with a parts counter, and also with the official Ford parts website. Its called a Valance Panel, part # 17626. The whole plastic thing with rubber attached. It arrived today and 2 things are different: the rubber strip is about an inch shorter vertically, and it is attached to the 2nd groove that can be seen in my picture in the original post. The groove that goes around the front smoothly not out to the edge in the middle like mine from the factory. I think there were different placements of the rubber for the V6, EB, and GT models. But I see only 1 part number - just checked on the diagram again. I am confused.

There is a sticker on the back of the part that says FR3B-6A975-BC with the name "cover.engine.bottom.bulk.asm" but on the box it says FR3Z-17626-B "DEFLECTOR". There is no listing anywhere for the engine cover number.

So, is there really a different part or is this the only thing Ford sells thru service parts?

 

[tsunami]

I believe that the 2nd groove smooth curve is for the GT. My EB has the re-curved dam, the same as your photo. Some Forum member, earlier this year, commented on the different dams for different engine models. You may wish to do a Forum search.

 

[15Pony]

The strange thing is that they do not list 2 different models of it. All 3 Mustangs, V6/Eb/GT all get #17626 but yet they are different.

 

[tsunami]

How flexible is the part you received? Can the dam be installed either along the GT smooth curve or along the recurved EB track? Ford may have made the dam to fit either track.

 

[Zemedici]

LOST. MY. SHIT. ahhaahahah

 

[15Pony]

How flexible is the part you received? Can the dam be installed either along the GT smooth curve or along the recurved EB track? Ford may have made the dam to fit either track.

No, its not flexible at all. Its the entire piece of plastic with the rubber attached from the factory. Just like on mine, the rubber on this one appears to be "welded" to the plastic so removing it would ruin it.

 

[15Pony]

Well, I decided to go ahead and install it anyway. Its not difficult, something like 14 screws & 6 clips. But I noticed that inside the factory one, there's an insulation pad over the rear part. I think this would be under the crossmember. I do not know what the purpose of it is, but the Service replacement part does not have it and it cannot be transferred. It is attached to the plastic in a similar way to the rubber dam, using glue spots. Despite the fact that I keep my car super clean this thick insulation blanket looks like a dirt trap. It was quite dirty and loose dirt in the grooves around it. There must be some reason Ford spent the money to put it on there, just like a reason for the 2 different types of curves on the air dam but you don't get it on a replacement part.

I looked at a couple cars on my dealer's lot. As you mentioned, the EB does have the pointy curve air dam but I was looking at a Mustang review video (posted in a different thread on here) where they had an EB & GT on a lift and their EB had the GT-style shallow curve dam! I think that EB had the PP though. And their GT had the PP, and its air dam does not have a rubber piece hanging down at all! Not even any grooves for it! That lower cover just has troughs on the sides that help bring air toward the wheels but the rest of it is pretty flat. The EB w/PP did not have a trough on the side to direct air at the wheel. So it seems that there's a variety of air dams but one part number. I don't get it.

The GT-style one with the shallow curve all the way around looks better IMO. Its a more discreet look than my factory one, which stood out.

It would be interesting to hear from a Ford Engineer why there are two and what they do different, and what the insulator pad does just because I'm a techie and like to know how stuff works.

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